Final Fate
by Arreis Kurai
Summary: What if the most important one in Cloud's life lived? What would modivate him to kill Sephiroth?
1. Different Destinies

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII is owned by Squaresoft and all of its staff.  
  
Cloud Strife stood at the top stair of the altar like structure. His eyes grew wide as he lifted his own blade before Aeris Gainsborough's head. Tifa Lockeart and Barret Wallace stood back beyond the stones Cloud had jumped up on to reach the altar Aeris was upon. They kept a distance and watched, unable to do anything else.  
  
"Cloud! NO!" he heard Tifa shout, though it sounded distant. He began to swing his blade down on the frail skull of Aeris. She didn't say a word. She gazed at Cloud with her green eyes filled only with tranquility. Barret, too, yelled something, but their shouts had become inaudible.  
  
You won't do it Cloud she thought.You can't swing that blade and I won't let you bear that burden. He began to swing. Shock registered in her eyes but only for a second. So. this is it. She closed her eyes. Cloud tried to stop his arms, but the heavy blade of his sword wanted down. His arms begged to put it down, regardless of where it landed. He wanted to scream. In the twenty-one years he had lived, he had never felt as helpless as he did in that moment.  
  
The blade came down, and Aeris didn't move. AERIS!!!! Cloud's mouth wouldn't yell so his mind did. With every ounce of power he had, he pulled his blade. He fell backwards and fell into darkness.  
  
While encased in the darkness he had fallen into, all the moments spent with Aeris began to flash through his head. Starting with the first time he had met her. ~~~~~~~~~~ "What's going on?" the flower girl had asked in the slums by the Sector one reactor. Cloud didn't' want at scare her, for she looked delicate and easily frightened. "Nothing.hey listen," Cloud paused. "Don't see many flowers around here," he said noticing the basket she carried full of flowers. "Oh these, do you wanna buy one. they're only a gil." Cloud gave the flower girl a gil, and she beamed with happiness. "Oh thank you! Here you are." Cloud took the small delicate flower from the outstretched arm of the flower girl before they both went away. ~~~~~~~~~~ .You alright..can you hear me? Yeah. Back then, you could get by with just skinned knees. What do you mean by 'Back then'? What about now..can you get up? What do you mean by 'that time'? ...what about now? Don't worry about me.you just worry about yourself now. I'll give it a try... (Oh it moved!) How about that.take it slow now.little by little.(Hello, hello!) I know. Hey, who are you? (Hello, hello!) "You okay?" a face asked him as he came to his senses. "This is a church in the Sector 5 slums. It suddenly fell on top of me. It really gave me a scare." The face looked familiar and Cloud tried to place her, but his mind refused to think. "I came crashing down?" Cloud asked confused. "The roof and the flowerbed must have broken your fall. You're lucky." Lucky? "Flower bed..is this yours?" Cloud jumped up quickly and moved from the flower bed before dusting himself off. His head spun from getting up too fast and his back ached. "Sorry about that," he said sincerely. "That's alright," she said softly. Cloud was still trying to place this girl. "The flowers here are quite resilient because this is a sacred place." She walked a few paces away and looked up at the stained glass window of yellow and orange tints. "They say you can't grow flowers and grass in Midgar, but for some reason the flowers have no problem blooming here. I love it here." The girl turned from the stained glass window and went about fixing up her flowerbed. The stems seemed to heal themselves under her hands. Cloud went to Aeris and watched the flowers heal themselves. "So we meet again..don't you remember me?" Cloud thought for a moment and the girl's identity snapped into place in his mind that now was working better. "Yeah. I remember you..," you were a slum drunk, he thought about saying, but thought better of the half-assed joke, and answered honestly. "Yeah I remember, you were selling flowers."  
  
"Oh! I'm so happy! Thanks for buying my flowers." Aeris went back to fix her flowers and a few seconds later stood back up. "Say.do you have any Materia?" "Yes, some. Nowadays you can get it anywhere." "But mine is special.it's good for absolutely nothing." "Good for nothing? You probably just don't know how to use it." "No I do.it just doesn't do anything.I feel safe just having it.it was my mother's. "Say.I feel like talking. Do you feel up to it? After all we are meeting again." Cloud inwardly sighed, but agreed to the task. "I don't mind." Aeris flashed Cloud a smile and once again checked her flowers. "Oh! We don't know each other's names do we? I'm Aeris the flower girl. Nice to meet you." Aeris.Cloud took mental note of her name and would never forget it from that day on. "The names Cloud." Aeris began to ask what he does, but he beat her unasked question. "Me..? I do a bit of everything."  
  
"Oh.a jack of all trades," Aeris said. "Yeah.I do whatever's needed..what's so funny? What are you laughing at?" Aeris was now suppressing her small laughter. "Sorry. I just. Say, have you ever been a body guard? You DO do everything, right?" "Yeah that's right." "Then get me out of here. Take me home." "..Ok, I'll do it..but it'll cost you." "Well then let's see," Aeris looked thoughtful. She turned and looked Cloud straight in the eye and smiled. "How about if I go out with you once?" ~~~~~~~~~~  
"You want to put yourself in danger again?" Cloud asked after getting Aeris safely home.  
"It's ok. I'm used to it."  
"Used to it?" What has happened to this girl? Shinra even has the Turks after her. ~~~~~~~~~~ Cloud and Aeris sat on the top of the slide at the playground of Sector 6. "What rank were you?" Aeris asked out of the blue. "Rank?" "You know.in SOLDIER." "Oh, I was." a flash came over Cloud as he remembered. Something seemed fuzzy in his memory. "first class." "Just the same as him." Aeris stared off into the distance. "The same as who?" "My first boyfriend." "You were.serious." Cloud didn't know what he wanted the answer to be. "No." The response came quickly, too quickly. "But I liked him for a while." "I probably knew him. What was his name?" "It doesn't really matter," Aeris said sort of sadly. ~~~~~~~~~~ TBC 


	2. Twisted Deaths

Disclaimer: I don't like repeating myself....it belongs to Squaresoft......  
  
He awoke seconds later on the floor of the altar, though in his mind full of recollections, it had seemed a lot longer. Sephiroth stood behind Aeris and brought out his sword. Cloud's eyes became wide. He saw Aeris smile. It was no ordinary smile. It was a smile for him, only him. He yelled her name, unaware that his voice now worked. He cried her name again as Sephiroth's sword became visible through Aeris small stomach. She fell forward as Sephiroth withdrew his sword, and blood gushed from her wound. Cloud's eyes revealed sadness, but Aeris' eyes showed no fear, and her smile never faltered. The Materia in her hair flew from her, bouncing from one stone stair to the next. It finally strayed from its course and fell into the water.  
  
No one took any notice of this Materia, however. Tifa's eyes began to tear openly, as did Barret's though more surreptitiously. Cloud moved to go to Aeris but Sephiroth stopped him.  
  
"You don't think she can live, do you?" he asked laughingly. Cloud shook with anger and lowered his head. "You feel no emotion, Failure. Stop trying." Cloud heard nothing. Stop it. his mind said. Cloud raised his head and stared at Sephiroth with eyes filled of hatred and loathing.  
  
"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" Cloud yelled at Sephiroth. Cloud brought out his sword and slashed at Sephiroth. He merely disappeared, leaving no blood or marks whatsoever. Cloud took no notice of this, however, and rushed to Aeris.  
  
"Aeris." he whispered, daring to hope for life as he held his breath. A gasp for air came from Aeris.  
  
"Ohmigod," Tifa whispered seeing movement from Aeris. "How.?"  
  
"Cloud." Aeris whispered.  
  
"Shh."  
  
"You didn't swing it..you. couldn't."  
  
"Aeris." She put her hand to his face and silenced him.  
  
"I'll be alright. just let me cast.." She reached for her staff that lay near the edge of the altar. It lay just beyond her reach. Cloud reached it for her and brought it to her outstretched hand. She pulled it to her. "Healing.Wind."  
  
Winds entwined themselves with Aeris' body and soothed her wound slightly. She let out a soft sigh and closed her eyes. ~~~~~~~~~~ Cloud really awoke now, finding that he had been seeing all of this in a vision. Now he was in reality, and found Aeris had fallen. When Cloud had pulled his blade back, it had unexpectedly knocked the blade above her back. The blade had still knocked her over, but only by being banged into her side.  
  
"Aeris?" Cloud whispered. She made no movement. Cloud waited for a moment, again holding his breath. Her chest raised and fell, and Cloud exhaled. She's alright. He gently lifted her and her staff up and carried her carefully from the altar. Tifa and Barret were both happy, and showed it in entirely different ways.  
  
They got outside from the altar to the lake just outside when Sephiroth once again appeared floating in mid air. "You didn't think I'd be beaten that easily, did you?" Sephiroth laughed. "I can't allow this Ancient to live. I must kill her. I will kill her."  
  
"Like hell you will!" Barret yelled at Sephiroth. He pulled his gun arm up and shot. Sephiroth took the hits dead on and disintegrated in mid air.  
  
"Did you really think to challenge me?" he asked from behind them. Cloud, Barret, and Tifa all spun around in surprise. Barret began to speak but Cloud stepped forward.  
  
"Don't involve them."  
  
"Hey." Tifa started.  
  
"No, Tifa.."  
  
"You want to face me by yourself? Remember, you are weak. You are nothing. You are the failure." Cloud began to draw his sword, but a force stopped him. The world seemed to fade around him and he was back on the altar just as minutes before. Sephiroth once again came down to Aeris. Once again pushed his sword through her delicate little stomach. Cloud wasn't worried. He had lived this, and only moments before, so he was confident he already knew the outcome. But as Aeris fell, something seemed different. Something was altered and Cloud felt it as he rushed to catch Aeris. No gasp came from her, no breath escaped her body. How.how can.. this be.  
  
"This can't be.this isn't real." Cloud said as he stared at Aeris. A smile still lingered on her face.  
  
"Don't worry," Sephiroth assured Cloud. "Soon this girl will be part of the Planet's energy. All that is left for me to do is to travel north. The 'Promised Land' awaits there for me. There, I will become a new being."  
  
"Shut up,"  
  
".by uniting with the planet. As will this girl."  
  
"SHUT UP!" Cloud stood up quickly. "I don't care about the 'Promised Land', or the Planet, for that matter. I care about the people around me." Cloud paused and looked to Aeris with a look of longing in his eyes. "And right now, you are trying to kill her." Cloud stopped with that and pulled his sword out.  
  
"Are you going to try to attack me?" Sephiroth questioned with laughter in his eyes. Cloud said nothing in reply. He saw Aeris, in the corner of his eye, move. He saw something in her eyes, a decision. He too, made a decision. He rushed toward Sephiroth with his sword wielded and got ready to slash. Sephiroth lifted his hand and made Cloud stop.  
  
Cloud again saw movement in the corner of his eyes as Aeris raised her arms. Even at a glance, Cloud could see how much that small movement pained Aeris, and how it caused her to glow with her remaining power. He could feel his body tingling as he regained control. A look of horror registered on Sephiroth's face and Cloud brought his blade down. Sephiroth couldn't trick this one, and it resulted in a slash across his shoulder. Sephiroth moved, and the damage reduced, but it resulted in a large gash going from his shoulder down his chest, getting smaller as it went down.  
  
He was shocked, and stumbled backwards slightly before flying off. Cloud went to Aeris and lifted her gently. "That was.your power." he started, "that let me hit him.wasn't it?" Aeris said nothing but she smiled. Her breaths were quick and rigid, and Cloud didn't think she would live the trip to get help.  
  
"Can you make it Aeris? Till we can get help?"  
  
"I. don't kn." Aeris stopped as she coughed up blood. Tifa and Barret kept their distance. "Is she gonna be okay, Barret?" Tifa asked.  
  
"Hell do I know? I ain't no mind reader." he said it same as always, but there was no attitude that usually came with it. Instead, it was said with sadness. Tifa walked back a few paces.  
  
"Hey Barret..."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"What. is that.?" A shadow came down over all four of them and a shout came from above.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~ TBC 


	3. Tender Moments

Disclaimer: Do I really have to put this here in every chapter....? Squaresoft, Squaresoft, Squaresoft....  
  
Aeris was carried onto Highwind and Cloud lay her down in the corner of the meeting room. He had some crew member find a blanket and pillow and Cloud placed her head on his lap until the pillow arrived. Aeris fought to stay awake, and cherish the moment. A moment with Cloud she would likely never have again. But as soon as the pillow came, she was out cold. Cloud gently placed her head down on it and the blanket over her.  
  
Aeris later awoke to the sun streaming into the room that she occupied. She was lying in an unfamiliar bed and Cloud was asleep with his arms on the edge of her bed. His head lay on his arms, and his sleep was deep and looked troubled. She tried to sit up, but had trouble, and gave up, thinking her strength would return quickly.  
  
After a few moments, Cloud, too, awoke. He saw her awake, and his eyes registered happiness, but he refused to smile. "How did you overcome Sephiroth's power?" He asked her after a few moments of silence.  
  
"I used the power that I could have used to summon Holy."  
  
"So you saved me, instead of the planet?"  
  
"I also saved me, you know. But I also did it because if Sephiroth dies."  
  
"Then it's over." Cloud finished for her. "But I failed, and didn't kill him..now he's gonna summon Meteor, all because I wasn't strong enough to kill Sephiroth."  
  
Aeris moved her hand to his arm. It took every once of her strength, but it reassured her, and gave her strength to go on speaking. "He needs the Black Materia to summon Holy.and you still have it." Cloud pulled the Black Materia out and looked at it.  
  
"I hope you're right," he said.  
  
"Where is this anyway.?"  
  
"Oh yeah.you're a little outta things. We are at Bone Village. They let me keep you in this inn for free when they saw how injured you were. Everyone else went north to try to cut Sephiroth off. I had Tifa go to Nibliehem. She found a bunch of people. or things. in black cloaks that talked about a reunion in the Northern Crater, so that's where everyone else went."  
  
"Did you stay here the whole time I was asleep..how long was I asleep anyway."  
  
"I lost track of time.. couple weeks I think." He avoided the first question, but Aeris figured he had and smiled. Why else would he be here and everyone else be in the Northern Crater?  
  
"Thanks Cloud."  
  
"I didn't even tell you accurately how long you've been here..so what are you thanking me for?" Aeris shook her head.  
  
"Nothing." Cloud looked at her quizzically. He was always fairly clueless. he'd likely never know how Aeris really felt.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Tifa walked cautiously through the Northern Crater. Behind her were Yuffie and Red XIII. They had gone ahead of Barret, CaitSith, Cid, and Vincent. Tifa cringed as she stepped on a black cloak. These cloaks had once harbored some form of a person. That was probably before Sephiroth had gotten to them. But now they were merely black cloaks of nothing.  
  
Tifa continued on, however, despite the feeling in her gut. She felt something wrong. They had done right in leaving the Black Materia behind with Cloud and Aeris hadn't they? If anything happened to Cloud, Aeris would be there to help him. Though Tifa didn't know if Aeris was alright or not, she felt sure that she could be relied on. Tifa carefully proceeded past the winds raging across sections of the crater. She looked behind every once in a while to see if she could see the others. She never could.  
  
Maybe Tifa thought that she'd be able to see Cloud behind her, instead of Barret and the others, but she wasn't sure. Of course Tifa was happy that Aeris was alive.but she couldn't help but think that Aeris had come between her and Cloud. Or maybe Cloud never really felt for her. Tifa shook her head. She had more important things to think about. She pressed on and finally came to what she thought was the center of the crater.  
  
Materia was forming naturally all around Tifa and you couldn't tell what was Materia or a simple crystal. Tifa walked into the center of the center and looked up. She sucked in her breath at her sight.  
  
Sephiroth was encased in a crystal, or perhaps Materia, above them. "Sephiroth's here?" Tifa asked no one in particular. "But how." "There must be two Sephiroth's." A calm voice came from behind Tifa.  
  
"Rufus." she muttered under her breath. What had happened to Cid and the others.? They should have been here by now. Tifa looked Rufus in the eye. "Where is the other Sephiroth?"  
  
"How should we know?" Rufus said. Hiedgar laughed from behind him. Rufus shot him a look, but Hiedgar took no notice and continued to laugh. "I told you to stop that stupid laugh!" Rufus yelled at Hiedgar. Now Scarlet took her chance to laugh quickly. Rufus said nothing.  
  
"Sephiroth could be anywhere!" Yuffie exclaimed to Tifa. Red XIII nodded.  
  
"Aeris may be in danger," Red XIII said looking both sorrowful and angered. Tifa bit her lip and looked down. If only Cloud were here.he'd know what to do.or at least Barret..He has the second PHS.he could call and check on Cloud..and Aeris....  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Aeris awoke again from her light sleep. Something had been bothering her, Cloud could see it. What if he comes again..? There was nothing I could do to stop myself last time. I may be the worst thing for Aeris. Sephiroth can manipulate me with the twist of a finger. But I can't risk anything happening to Aeris.I just can't.  
  
"Are you going to get any sleep?" Aeris asked Cloud. He nodded.  
  
"When I feel like it. Why?"  
  
"Well I haven't seen you sleep since I was brought here." Cloud remained silent. Moments dragged by.  
  
"Aeris.?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Is something wrong? With the Planet or Sephiroth. or something like that.?" Aeris looked at Cloud in surprise. He was more perceptive than she had thought. Or maybe he had a connection with Sephiroth. He was coming.but should she tell Cloud.  
  
If Cloud knew. he would leave Aeris. Of course it would be for her own good, but Aeris didn't want to be left alone. Not anymore. She had finally found someone she could be with, and she wasn't going to lose him.  
  
"Nothing's wrong." Aeris lied. She felt terrible.but maybe that was because she had had a fever since they had come back from the City of the Ancients and Aeris was still way too hot. Maybe that's why she was lying.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~ TBC 


	4. Hard Truth

Disclaimer: I'm not gonna even say it this time...if u really wanna know, look at one of the other chapters...  
  
They sat in silence for a while. "Actually Cloud.I do feel something." Aeris looked at the bedspread. "He's coming." Cloud looked to Aeris and fear was in his easy. Fear. Something Aeris had never seen etched into his features. It disappeared after a moment, but Aeris knew why it had appeared.  
  
He didn't want to hurt her. He knew that Sephiroth had done it last time. He knew, too, that she was too weak to help Cloud. Cloud stood up and went to leave.  
  
"Don't go, Cloud." Aeris grabbed his arm. She had more strength than before and held onto him. "You won't hurt me. You won't. I believe in you." Cloud stopped and turned to face her.  
  
"I can't control it."  
  
"Yes. Yes you can. You can fight him, Cloud. You can."  
  
Cloud looked into Aeris' eyes. He sat down beside her again. She smiled at him in reassurance and she let go of his arm. The air began to swirl before them.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Sephiroth is really dead.or encased here alive, actually.... the other Sephiroth must be a fake," Red XIII said quietly so that none of the Shinra people could hear them.  
  
"How would a fake have so much power?" Yuffie asked a bit loudly.  
  
"I created him from the real Sephiroth," a new voice said from behind them. Tifa turned before anyone else.  
  
"Hojo!" Red XIII turned and growled deep in his throat and his tail stood straight up. Yuffie placed her hands on his back to silence him and she stroked him lightly. Red XIII took the hint and silenced his violence.  
  
"What are you all doing here?" Red XIII demanded.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sephiroth became materialistic from the air that was before Cloud and Aeris. Cloud tensed waiting for Sephiroth to make his move. But Cloud found that he felt more than capable to keep from killing Aeris. He wouldn't do it. He wouldn't lay a finger on her.  
  
Sephiroth tried to make Cloud do what he couldn't do before. He tried in vain, to his surprise, and also Cloud's surprise. Cloud had a bit more power in him than Sephiroth or he himself realized.  
  
"Why aren't you killing her.?" Sephiroth mumbled in a barely audible undertone.  
  
"I'd rather kill you, Sephiroth." Aeris glared at Sephiroth with hatred that she had never and would never again bestow upon a person.  
  
"Why me? We're old friends. Or so you think you remember."  
  
"What do you mean?" Sephiroth laughed.  
  
"You are so pitiful. I will go to the Promised Land with the Black Materia. Whether you like it or not."  
  
"No." Cloud pulled out his sword. "You aren't Sephiroth. You aren't the Sephiroth I knew. So tell me, who the hell are you?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I'm looking in on Sephiroth. He's been here for so long. He's desired the Black Materia to awaken. Imagine, two Sephiroths.. and then there's the matter of your friend..the failure..." Hojo placed his chin in his hand that was supported by his arm. He was thinking deeply and becoming oblivious to the world. Tifa put a stop to his little thoughts.  
  
"How are there two Sephiroths!?" Tifa yelled at him after hitting him hard. "What did you do!? And what about Cloud; what are you saying about him?" Tifa let rage flow through her. Red XIII wanted to join her in her anger. Hojo had angered him. Red XIII, normally level headed and calm totally lost it in the presence of this man. No..not a man. A beast..no man would do what he does to his 'experiments' and 'precious specimens.'  
  
"Tifa! Wait!" Barret ran up with Cid, CaitSith and Vincent close behind. "Let's here what this #*@%$^$ scum has to say! I wanna know the truth 'ere!"  
  
Tifa took a step away from Hojo and waited for him to talk. Hojo was in the presence of Rufus, Hiedgar, and Scarlet, but he doubted they could take on this angry bunch in hand to hand combat, so he talked.  
  
"There are two Sephiroths because I created one of them. I created him as a clone to the real Sephiroth who hangs above your head. My Sephiroth has no idea he isn't the real Sephiroth, or so I think. I have implanted him with memories and he firmly believes the Jenova is his mother. He wants the Promised Land and he will lead us there.  
  
"All the men in black cloaks aren't clones, but people injected with cells of Sephiroth and Jenova. They follow Sephiroth and he can communicate with them. They have little intelligence and no longer retain any memory.  
  
"Your friend, well he is a very interesting case. He, too, was to become a clone, but he failed, and was dismissed as a failure. But he, however, is now anything but a failure anymore. He's a passed specimen. He has links with Sephiroth and a little of his own strength..interesting...."  
  
"What do you mean interesting!!!!" Tifa yelled at him. Barret grabbed her as she lunged at Hojo. She struggled to get free. "Stop referring to Cloud as a failure!!! He's a person. He's my childhood friend!! He isn't some failure!!!!" Tifa was going to continue but began to shake with sobs and anger. She slowly lowered herself to the ground. She pounded it once angrily, and everything around them began to shake.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Cloud stared at Sephiroth and waited for an answer. An answer that Cloud had been seeking.  
  
"I am.." Cloud held his breath "I am I."  
  
"DAMNIT SEPHIROTH!!!!!" Cloud pulled his sword behind his back and went to thrust it down onto Sephiroth's head. But something stopped him. Just like when he was going to strike the delicate head of Aeris, he had no control.  
  
Sephiroth had stopped him again.but how. "This time," Sephiroth began in a whisper, "I wanted the Black Materia, and not her life." Aeris looked at Cloud wide eyed. Cloud had done what he had wanted to..he hadn't killed her.he hadn't even harmed her..But now he was going to give Sephiroth the one thing that gave hope to everyone. The hope remained as long as it was out of Sephiroth's hands.  
  
Sephiroth lifted his hand to control Cloud. Cloud tried to fight it, but he couldn't. Aeris was helpless and could only watch. Sephiroth seized the Black Materia as soon as it came into his view. And with the Black Materia, he had seized also the hope of the planet.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~ TBC 


	5. Danger Looms

Disclaimer: Squaresoft..............  
  
"NO!!" Cloud yelled. It seemed his voice was the only part of his body he had control of. Sephiroth took a few steps backward and looked at both Cloud and Aeris.  
  
"Enjoy your time together. I'll be after her next...of course, even if I didn't come after her, the world would be over. You don't have much time together either way. I have to go deliver this now..."  
  
Cloud could now control himself and he lunged towards Sephiroth. It was already too late, though. Sephiroth was gone.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Tifa looked around in confusion. Shards of crystal and Materia fell around them.  
  
Aeris closed her eyes on impulse and opened them quickly. The Planet was preparing for something tremendous.  
  
"Look!" Vincent yelled from somewhere in the room that sounded distant. Tifa looked around in confusion until her eyes fell onto the ceiling. Sephiroth was now encased in only a little bit of crystal, and was hanging by only a bit of Materia.  
  
"Cloud!" Aeris pulled at his arm. "Something's wrong! He's going to anger the planet!" Cloud looked at Aeris in confusion, but he heard Sephiroth's voice resonate in his head 'So it's true! ..........." Cloud looked to Aeris with a worried look.  
  
But now, the second Sephiroth was here. "How'd he get here!?" Red XIII yelled over the noise of the room falling around them. Hiedgar and Scarlet ran. Hojo stepped toward the center to watch and Rufus, too, was curious. Sephiroth, the clone, dropped himself to look into the crystal encasing the other Sephiroth.  
  
Cloud sat on the edge of Aeris bed for a moment. "It's my fault..This is happening all because of me!!" Cloud pounded his fists on the bed and Aeris could do nothing to comfort him.  
  
"So it's true," Sephiroth said loudly. "I am a clone! I am part of Jenova! But I, not he, am the strongest! I am of the Cetra! I am the chosen one! Me and Mother!" Tifa merely looked on in horror, just like everyone else, as the Black Materia was placed inside the crystal with the real Sephiroth.  
  
His eyes flew open and the ground shook even more violently. The Planet cried out and was heard all over. Aeris covered her ears. "Cloud it's too loud! The planet! It's screaming!" Cloud could hear it too, and being as close to the crater as he was, he too could hear the screams and feel the trembles.  
  
Sephiroth left from in front of Cloud's friends and the president of Shinra. They had all seen a huge creature jump from the Planet. "Weapon!" the Sephiroth cloned yelled. He had run across all the knowledge known to man of Ultimate Weapon in the basement of the Shinra mansion.  
  
Aeris looked out the window she could see from her bed and saw the same thing Sephiroth seemed to know so much about. And it was coming towards them. But they were shocked to see a small shadow shoot out of the crater. Cloud knew immediately who it was. It was the real Sephiroth. It was the man who was supposed to be dead. Cloud stood from Aeris bed and he walked to the window, being careful not to block her view.  
  
"Weapon will kill your little Cetra friend! She will perish, as will the failure!!!!" Tifa dared to step closer and closer to Sephiroth. "Don't you TOUCH THEM!" Tifa yelled to Sephiroth. She was close enough that if he was at her level in height right then, she would've been able to hit him, and she looked prepared to do just that.  
  
Cloud watched weapon fly away from the crater. He could hear it scream, and felt the pain of the planet. "Aeris," he whispered "What is weapon going to do?" Aeris shook her head, for she had no idea either.  
  
"Weapon will kill those who stand in its way!!!! It will kill anyone who harms the planet any further!"  
  
Cloud heard the voice echo in his head. "He's here to destroy.."Cloud said. "And if Sephiroth has any control over it, than it's coming for one of us.."  
  
"Than you should be dead, Sephiroth!" Tifa yelled at him. "You have injured the planet enough!" He went down to Tifa's level. She was ready to hit him.  
  
"I have to lead it away!" Cloud said as he turned from the window and to Aeris. "I can't let it hurt you!" Aeris looked at Cloud and said nothing.  
  
"You know, girl, I slashed right through your body once, and you lived. Do you think, if I do it again, that you'll live again?" Tifa put her fist down and stared at him with fear in her eyes. Sephiroth raised his sword.  
  
Aeris stared into the air for a moment. Cloud may be able to hear what was going on, but Aeris could now see it. She saw the sword before Tifa and the fear in her eyes. She had heard the story Cloud had told in Kalm when their adventure had first begun. Tifa had lived this once before.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~ Author's note: sorry that this chapter is so short and confusing, but if it's confusing, read every other paragraph, cause that's how it switches points of view, going from Cloud and Aeris to Sephiroth, Tifa, and the others. 


End file.
